


Small Town

by sharkfinn



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Hinata Hajime Tries, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I swear, Komaeda Nagito Needs a Hug, M/M, Mentions of Suicide, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Trauma, Violence, he's bad at showing how he feels, mental issues, nagito doesn't know what social norms are, you can pry this au from my cold dead hands
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:48:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29028222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sharkfinn/pseuds/sharkfinn
Summary: Hinata just wanted to play ukulele by the river. Why do weird things happen to the most normal people?
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito, Ishimaru Kiyotaka/Oowada Mondo, Nanami Chiaki/Sonia Nevermind
Comments: 20
Kudos: 70





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> howdy lads 🤠 this is like a Stranger Things AU (kinda,,,) anyway i apologize in advance for short chapters, fast pacing, and my God awful writing skills luv 💖

The crisp Autumn wind nipped Hinata’s face as he trekked through the woods. He didn’t mind, however, since his jacket and scarf kept him warm enough. The forest was always gorgeous during the Fall. The trees were still transitioning, leaves fluttering to the ground with every breeze. Hinata Hajime loved the Fall.  
It was currently October. Hinata and his friends (and the rest of the school, but Hinata only really cared about his friends) were out on fall break. As a tenth grader swamped with work 24/7, a break was much appreciated. 

The babbling of the creek caught Hinata’s attention. He initially came here to sit in the clearing and just hang out for a bit, he brought his ukulele to play as well. His friend, Chiaki, had planned on joining him, but there was a new update in a game she liked, so she had to take a rain check. Hinata didn’t mind.  
Steering himself toward the creek, he wondered absentmindedly about how his cat was doing. His thoughts were cleared when his eyes focused on the sitting form of a boy, maybe a girl, sitting at the edge of the creek. He hesitated. 

“Uh… Hi,” he called, slowly inching closer. The person turned, startled by Hinata’s voice. They had curly, untamed white hair that darkened into a pink-ish toward the tips, and extremely pale skin. The thing that caught Hinata’s attention most was their eyes. They were a mossy, almost slate colored green, and were framed by thick white eyelashes. His arms and legs were scratched quite a bit.

“... Hello there,” he greeted. Hinata knew he was a ‘he’ now due to his voice. The boy motioned for Hinata to sit next to him, and he did so. 

“I haven’t really seen you around, are you new here?” Hinata questioned, still unable to look anywhere other than the boy in front of him. He was just so… pretty. Hinata panicked at the thought. 

“You could say that, yes,” he chuckled dryly, then extended his hand to Hinata. “Komaeda Nagito, nice to meet you,” he offered a small smile. Hinata accepted his hand, giving it a small shake. 

“Komaeda, huh? Hinata Hajime, nice to meet you too,” he nodded. 

“What happened? To your arms and legs, I mean,” Hinata pointed. Komaeda looked down, pulling one leg from the water that was no doubt freezing.

“...I fell out of a tree,” He hummed. 

“They look pretty bad…” Hinata fretted. The other boy didn't respond, and instead glanced at the case on Hinata’s back. “Is that a ukulele?” 

Hinata nodded, then looked away. “Do you want me to play you something?” he offered, picking at the moss on a rock. Komaeda’s eyes lit up and he brought his hands together in excitement. 

“Will you?” he asked. Hinata smiled slightly, pulling the case over his head and unzipping it. He let the pale boy look at it before holding it properly and strumming a chord. The song was soft, something Nanami had begged him to learn. He sang quietly, trying to get his voice to cooperate with the melancholy tone of the song. Komaeda looked absolutely mystified. 

The song came to a gentle close, and Komaeda clapped enthusiastically. “That was so pretty! What is it called?”

Hinata smiled, his face flushing slightly. “It’s called Northern Downpour, and it’s my friend’s favorite song.” 

Komaeda smiled. “I like the lyrics,” he hummed. Hinata nodded, then looked around. 

“Do you live nearby? I actually live just over there,” he motioned to the general direction where his house was located. Komaeda tilted his head. 

“Do you tell every stranger you meet where your house is located, Hajime?” 

Hinata stuttered, his face growing hot at the use of his given name. “N-no! It’s just that you look to be my age, and… And don’t go using my first name like that, I barely know you!” His voice raised in volume. He hadn’t meant to shout. Komaeda recoiled. 

“A-ah, I messed up..? I’m sorry Haj- ah, Hinata-kun. Leave it to me to mess up such a simple task,” He moved away. Hinata noticed he was shaking. “I’ll just… leave you be. Sorry to bother!” He hummed and smiled. Hinata stood and grabbed his arm. 

“H-hey, wait a minute! I didn’t mean you had to leave, jeez,” he huffed. Komaeda stared at Hinata’s hand. 

“Oh. Sorry, I just thought... “ Komaeda trailed off, causing Hinata to roll his eyes. 

“I don’t really care, it was my fault for lashing out. Anyway, you never answered my question earlier. Do you live nearby?” 

Komaeda hesitated, still staring at the spot where Hinata was touching him. 

“You won’t want to be around me if you see where I’m from,” His response was quiet. Hinata furrowed his eyebrows. 

“What do you mean? Just show me, I’m sure it isn’t that bad. This town is small and old, all the houses here are equally awful.” 

Komaeda stared at Hinata with a blank look. It made the latter’s skin crawl. 

“Promise me.” Komaeda said, not breaking eye contact. Hinata blinked. 

“Promise you what?”

“Promise me you won’t leave me here alone when you see where I’m from,” 

Komaeda’s expression was still unnervingly blank. Hinata nodded, desperate to tear Komaeda’s gaze off his body. 

“Right, I promise, whatever, just show me.” he prompted. Komaeda smiled, relief painted on his pale features. He pulled his wrist from Hinata’s hand and instead opted to lace his fingers with Hinata, tugging him along. Hinata blushed at the contact. 

“Alright! This way. And be careful where you step.” 

“...Why?” 

Komaeda turned and gave him a sweet smile, but his eyes were dead. 

“When people leave, they aren’t supposed to leave alive,” 

Hinata chose not to think about that statement too much. It worried him anyway.

It took about thirty minutes of walking for the two of them to arrive at a large chain link fence. Over the top was barbed wire. Hinata made a face. 

“Are you a prison inmate?” 

Komaeda laughed. “No, this isn’t a prison in the sense you’re thinking of. This is an Institution, Hinata-kun.” 

Hinata let that sink in, then did a double take. “You..! You’re an institution escapee?!” His voice was loud. Komaeda grabbed him and pulled him behind a tree, pressing his hand over his mouth as the sound of crunching leaves approached. Whoever, or whatever, it was stopped for a moment, listening. Hinata’s heart rate skyrocketed. After a moment, the sound of crunching steps receded, and Komaeda released Hinata from his grip. Hinata shook his head in disbelief. Komaeda had that unnerving blank stare. 

“You promised you wouldn’t leave me,” he reminded quietly. 

“I...I just...I know. I know, I’m not,” Hinata sighed and placed his hands over his face. “So you don’t have a house? Or parents?” 

“No.” Komaeda answered. Hinata nodded. 

“Then you can come home with me. My parents are off on business, like, all of the time, so,” He reached for Komaeda’s hand, grabbing it and tugging him. “We’re going now,” he sighed. Komaeda nodded, gripping Hinata’s hand. The two quietly walked back to Hinata’s house.


	2. The Gamer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gamer, Normie, Clover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh 😫 i want to incorporate characters from thh and v3

Upon their arrival, Hinata made it his first priority to get Komaeda clean, bandaged, and in new clothes. He was sure the lanky boy would fit some clothes in his closet. 

Hinata pulled out a grey-green hoodie and basketball shorts, handing them to Komaeda. He began taking off his clothes. 

“H-Hey! What are you doing?!” Hinata covered his face to avoid looking at the other boy without clothes on. Not that it mattered, because a straight boy--Which Hinata was--wouldn’t care about another boy undressing in front of him. Girls do it all the time. 

“I’m changing, Hinata-kun,” Komaeda stared at Hinata, still unbuttoning his shirt. Hinata’s face flushed. 

“Go change in the bathroom, not in here dammit!” His face flushed red and he turned completely to keep Komaeda from seeing. 

“Oh. Sorry,” he mumbled, walking toward Hinata’s bathroom. Once the door shut, Hinata let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, then flopped down on his bed. He pulled out his phone and called Nanami. 

“...Hello?” her soft voice was heavy with sleep. Hinata chuckled a bit.

“Hey Chiaki-chan, did I wake you up?” 

“Yeah, you did. But I don’t mind, what’s up?” 

“I actually need you to come over. It’s important, please?” 

“...Fine. I’ll be there in a few minutes. See you soon, Hinata-kun,” she yawned. 

“See you then, Nanami-chan,” he chuckled and hung up, Komaeda opening the door to show Hinata. 

“Does it look okay..?” he held out his arms. The sweater was big on Hinata, but it fit perfectly on Komaeda. He smiled, not bothering to hide the heat on his cheeks.

“It looks nice,” he nodded, then stood. “I have a friend coming over to help out with your, uh, situation, but for now I guess you’re hungry?” 

Komaeda’s eyes lit up. “Yes, I am! Thank you Hinata-kun, you’re so kind to me,” he looked at the ground and smiled. Hinata responded by taking his hand and leading Komaeda downstairs. He stopped to grab alcohol wipes and bandages for his cuts, bandaging them up and leading him to the living room.

“Here, you sit on the couch while I make you something to eat. See anything you want?” He led the boy to the kitchen, allowing him to look around. 

“This, please,” Komaeda handed Hinata a box of noodles.

“Alright, sure. Do you like vegetables? Or beef broth,” he walked over to a cabinet and dug around. Komaeda smiled. 

“You don’t have to put so much effort into me, Hinata-kun,” he hummed. Hinata rolled his eyes. 

“Beef with vegetables, got it,” 

He showed Komaeda how to use the TV, explaining to him what shows were on when he asked. Komaeda ended up settling on The Goonies, which Hinata thought was cute. Not cute as in cute, but more like… Lost puppy cute. Hinata nodded, his face heating up. 

He boiled water, added in the broth, stirred in noodles, meat, and vegetables, and allowed it to stew for a moment. He heard Komaeda gasp from the couch. Walking over, he found his cat kneading Komaeda’s chest. 

“Oh, Kirigiri! I was wondering when you would turn up,” Hinata chuckled affectionately and pet the cat’s head. Komaeda’s eyes sparkled with excitement. 

“This is your cat? Kirigiri?” He kept his eyes on the cat in wonder. Hinata smiled.

“Yeah, she’s really sweet. Looks like she likes you,” 

Komaeda brought a hand up and gently caressed her. The cat stretched leisurely and balled up on Komaeda’s chest. He stared up at Hinata with wide eyes. 

“Hinata-kun I love her,” he whispered. Hinata chuckled and tousled Komaeda’s hair, turning to go tend to the food. Until someone knocked on the door. Komaeda nearly sat up in alarm, but seemed to remember the cat sleeping on him. He looked stressed. 

“Hinata-kun?” He whispered. Hinata put a finger to his lips, then walked over to the door, opening it. 

“...Hey hey, Hinata-chan,” Nanami’s soft voice rang out. She had her Game Girl Advance in one hand and her pet white rabbit cradled in the other. Hinata relaxed a bit, smiling at her. 

“Hey Chiaki-chan, thanks for coming. Here, Komaeda,” He looked over to the couch while he stepped aside to allow his friend inside. Komaeda hesitantly sat up, holding Kirigiri in his arms. His mossy eyes flicked from her face, to her game, then to her pet, and his eyes lit up. 

“Oh, hello,” she smiled softly, turning her head to yawn. She slipped her cat backpack off her shoulders for a moment, placing her hand held console inside, then pulled it back on. She held her rabbit out to Komaeda. 

“Did you wanna hold her?” She offered. The poor boy on the couch looked like he was gonna cry. Hinata walked over and collected Kirigiri, placing her on the floor and taking Komaeda’s hand, leading him over to Nanami. She offered the little rabbit once again, and Komaeda took her with shaky hands. Once in his hands, he looked absolutely starstruck. Nanami smiled and pulled out her Game Girl again. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Komaeda-chan. I’m Nanami Chiaki,” she bowed her head a little, then continued playing her game. 

“...I’m Komaeda Nagito,” his response was nearly silent. He bowed his head, mimicking Nanami, and moved to stand next to Hinata. 

“So where did you meet him, Hinata-chan?” Nanami yawned. Hinata and Komaeda exchanged glances, then looked back at Nanami. 

“I found him in the woods.” Hinata offered. Komaeda nodded. 

“I am from Future Institution,” He added, stroking the small bunny in his arms. Nanami looked up from her game. 

“Future Institution? That place across town?” 

Nanami held a determined glint in her pink eyes.

“Tell me everything.”


	3. Explanations and Dinner Dates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hello Komaeda, I'm Fujisaki Chihiro, nice to meet you!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how is chihiro Chiaki's dad when man died in the first game

Hinata, Komaeda, and Nanami ended up on Hinata’s bed, explaining what had happened. Nanami smiled. 

“Hinata-chan, you played him Northern Downpour! That’s so sweet,” she hummed. Komaeda blushed and Hinata ran a hand through his hair. 

“Whatever. Anyway, what do we do?” He looked at Nanami with desperation, holding Komaeda’s hand. Nanami thought for a moment. 

“Well, his best bet would be to stay here… I think. Since your parents are never home, Hinata-chan,” 

“But I can’t just keep him here forever, we have school. And if someone comes looking for him, what are we gonna do?” 

Komaeda perked up. “I can attend school with you,” 

Hinata and Nanami stared at him. “How old are you?” Hinata asked. Komaeda furrowed his eyebrows. 

“I’m sixteen,” he responded, but it took him a moment. Hinata wondered if he had forgotten his own age. 

“Great you’ll be in our grade,” Nanami’s tired eyes lit up. She opened her mouth to speak again, but was cut off by the ringing of her phone. Confused, she pulled it out of her pocket. 

“It’s my dad, one second, Hey dad… No, I’m at Hinata’s… No, dad, I’ll be fine walking home. Wait, wait, before you go, can I bring Hinata and his friend over? There’s something we need your help with. Yep yep, see you then. Love you,” she ended the call.

“My dad can enroll you in our school, I think. We can head over now,” she hummed. Komaeda nodded, handing the white rabbit back to Nanami. 

“Goodbye, Miss Monomi,” he hummed.

“Well, we still have noodles on the stove, so let’s eat first.” 

Komaeda and Nanami agreed. 

After eating, feeding both Kirigiri and Monomi, and cleaning up his kitchen, Hinata slipped on his shoes and motioned for his friends to follow. Nanami led them to her home. 

“Dad, we’re home,” she called out, slipping her shoes off. Hinata and Komaeda followed her actions, slipping off their shoes. Nanami’s dad walked in, greeting the trio. 

“Hello, Chichi, Hinata, and- oh! Who’s this?” 

Komaeda bowed. “Komaeda Nagito, sir,” 

Nanami’s dad bowed his head, chuckling. “Hello Komaeda, I’m Fujisaki Chihiro. Nice to meet you!” He offered his hand to Komaeda, which he hesitantly shook.  
“Nice to meet you as well, Fujisaki-sama.” 

Nanami smiled, then looked at her dad. 

“Dad, we have a lot to tell you,” her words were firm.

The three explained everything that happened as best as three teenagers could.

“You’re harboring an institution escapee..?” Fujisaki spoke slowly, trying desperately to understand what these children had done. 

“Yes,” Nanami nodded. Hinata and Komaeda exchanged glances. 

“But I can’t go back,” Komaeda offered quickly, sitting straighter. “If I go back they’ll hurt me, I can’t go back, please,” his eyes glossed over, face heating up out of shame. When the pale boy started shaking, Hinata placed a comforting hand on Komaeda’s back, rubbing circles. Nanami gave Hinata a knowing smile. 

“We need to enroll him in school. He can’t stay home alone all day,” Nanami looked back to her dad, who seemed to be deep in thought. 

“Hinata, you live on Oak, right?” He suddenly asked. Hinata perked up. 

“Yeah, near the Dairy Queen,” he confirmed, still rubbing Komaeda’s back. Fujisaki nodded. 

“Well, some friends of mine live there, we can have Komaeda stay with them, and they can get him enrolled. I know a way to get adoption records into the computer at the mayor’s office, so if anyone questions it we can just tell them to check. Chiaki, you take them to Mondo and Taka’s house, I’ll get the records in.” He stood and walked over to a laptop on the kitchen counter. Nanami stood as well, returning Monomi to her cage, and motioned for the boys to follow. 

“Mondo and Taka are married,” Nanami explained, sliding her shoes back on. “And they live really close to Hinata-chan, so Komaeda can come over whenever he wants. For now, we just need to make sure we can get him enrolled,” 

Komaeda looked lost. “How is Fujisaki-sama going to put my records in the adoption system?” 

“He’s a hacker,” Hinata offered, as if that was enough of an explanation. Komaeda nodded absentmindedly. 

The walk to Nanami’s uncles’ house was pretty boring. Hinata strummed his ukulele, then taught Komaeda some basic chords. Komaeda stopped in his tracks when some woman walked by. He ducked behind a tree around the corner. The woman approached Hinata and Nanami, who now looked confused. 

“Excuse me! Sorry to bother you two but have you seen a boy with white hair around?” She spoke gently, her voice soft. Hinata and Nanami exchanged a glance, but as soon as Hinata started freezing up, Nanami cut in. 

“No ma’am, I don’t think so.” She responded easily. The woman looked a bit frustrated. 

“Right… Well if you find him, be sure to tell me. Here, take this,” She handed a small card to Nanami. Hinata looked over her shoulder to get a better look. It read, ‘Enoshima Junko, Psychiatrist’ then listed a few phone numbers. The back held the logo of the Future Institution. Hinata felt sick. “Yep yep, sure thing.” Nanami nodded. Hinata gave her a nervous smile, which she caught on to. 

“What about you?” Her blue eyes flicked to meet Hinata’s. Her gaze was analytical, watching for behavior that might give him away. He met her gaze. 

“I’m not allowed to talk with people I don’t know. Bye now,” He grabbed Nanami’s wrist and walked away, but Enoshima stopped him. 

“Not even pretty ladies like me? I promise I don’t bite!” 

Hinata gave her his fiercest look. “I haven’t seen anyone like that around. Leave us alone before I call the police,” he warned. Enoshima looked taken aback. She huffed and turned around, her heeled boots clicking on the sidewalk. Once they were sure she was gone, they searched for Komaeda. Hinata found him behind the tree, curled up and shaking. 

Hinata sat beside him. “Hey… She’s one of the people who hurt you?” 

Komaeda didn’t answer. Hinata sighed, hesitantly wrapping one arm around the shaking boy. He leaned into Hinata’s chest, sobs wracking through his frail body. Hinata tightened his grip, holding him closer. One hand made its way to Komaeda’s hair, running through it. Komaeda moved away slightly, staring at Hinata with wide, glossy eyes. He realized, in that moment, how pretty Komaeda was. Hesitantly, carefully, Hinata leaned in and pressed a small kiss to Komaeda’s forehead. The action shocked both of them it seemed. When he moved back to study Komaeda’s reaction, he saw that the poor boy looked absolutely gone, his eyes wide, face red, and tears still rolling down his cheeks. 

Nanami cleared her throat, causing the boys to jump. She gave Hinata a sly smile, then offered her hand to help the two up. Komaeda got up first, helping Hinata after. The gamer smiled. 

“Sorry to bother you two, but we need to get to my Uncles’ place. Ready?”


	4. Bed Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Now we're even, get in bed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's MY fanfic and I get to choose the characterization of hinata-kun 😡😡  
> anyway, Hinata can cuddle Komaeda, as a treat

“Taka-ojisan, Mondo-ojisan,” Nanami called, knocking on the door. A moment of silence, then the sound of the door unlocking. A tall and rather muscular man with pompadour stood in the doorway, looming over the group of teens. He smiled. 

“Hey kid, what brings ya?” He questioned. Another man walked up behind him.

“Who’s there- Oh! Chiaki and friends! Come in, come in,” he moved the taller man out of the way to allow the trio to enter, shutting the door behind them. 

Tea was poured while everyone sat down; the two adults on the couch across from Nanami, Komaeda, and Hinata. 

“Now! I know Chiaki and Hinata-san, but what is your name?” the eccentric man with large eyebrows and red eyes pointed at Komaeda. 

“I am Komaeda Nagito, nice to meet you,” he bowed his head. 

“It is nice to meet you as well! I am Oowada Kiyotaka, but you may call me Taka, and this is my husband, Oowada Mondo,” he smiled politely, returning the bow. “What brings you all here?” 

The three exchanged glances. Chiaki spoke. 

“Komaeda-chan is from the Future Institution. He needs a safe place to stay so he can enroll in school,” she explained, pausing to yawn. “And dad said he would put adoption papers in the system. He’ll probably call to help you guys get set up… I think,” 

Taka nodded, leaning into the arm that Oowada wrapped around his shoulders. 

“This sounds like it might be illegal,” Taka chided. Oowada pulled him closer. 

“I don’t mind havin’ him run around here. If he needs a home then we got one.” 

Komaeda sat up. “I want to stay with Hinata-kun, at least for the night.” He said, squeezing Hinata’s hand. 

“Well, since it might take a while for Dad to get things together then that should be fine. We can head back to Hinata’s after this, okay?” Nanami leaned forward so she could look at Komaeda. He nodded hesitantly. Hinata finished his tea with his free hand, then placed the mug on the coffee table. 

“Right, well we should get going. That lady might come knocking on doors to find you,” Hinata muttered the last bit, squeezing Komaeda’s hand and standing. The trio thanked the Oowada’s for their hospitality, slid on their shoes, and began walking to Hinata’s house once more. 

Unlocking the door, Hinata allowed his friends to enter before he did. The three walked to Hinata’s room, falling down on his bed. Komaeda lay across Hinata’s legs, the latter’s hands running through the former’s hair, and Nanami lay next to Hinata, petting Kirigiri and playing Animal Crossing. After a moment, she looked over at Hinata. 

“Hey Hinata-chan, let’s say I like this person,” she hummed. Hinata nodded. “And I wanna know how to tell them. How would I do that?” She questioned. The boy thought for a moment. 

“Maybe tell him as it is. Why, who is it?” he turned his head to look at her. She was blushing and hiding in her jacket. 

“It’s Sonia,” she responded quietly and tugged the hoodie strings, scrunching the hood over her face. Hinata was a little hurt by her response. He did like her after all. When he didn’t respond, Nanami pulled off her hood, looking at him hesitantly. 

“That’s...okay, right? You’re okay with me liking girls..?” 

Now Komaeda was interested in Hinata’s response. He turned a bit to study Hinata’s expression. 

“Well, yeah, why wouldn’t I be? You’re still my friend, what does it matter who you like?” He smiled softly, which made Nanami smile. She laughed, relief obvious in her voice. 

“Alright, thank goodness. I was kinda worried,” she breathed. Hinata chuckled, nodding and bringing his hand back to Komaeda’s hair. Nanami shifted, then sat up.   
“I should probably get going, it’s late and dad wants to watch horror movies tonight. Bye bye, Hinata-chan, Komaeda-chan,” She bowed, then turned to leave. Hinata pulled his legs from underneath Komaeda and walked Nanami out. Her dad was waiting for her since it was dark. 

“Hey, Chi,” he called. She turned. “You and Sonia,” he hesitated, but shook his head. “You and Sonia would be good together.” he smiled, and she smiled right back, giving him a hug. She let go to get in her dad’s car, waving as they drove off. He turned to find Komaeda in the doorway. 

“Hinata-kun, do you love Nanami-san?” He asked. Hinata’s eyes lingered on the bandages on Komaeda’s arms. They were falling off. He sighed. 

“I don’t know. I think I love someone else,” he walked toward the pale boy, taking his hand and leading him to the kitchen. He instructed Komaeda to sit on the counter while Hinata recleaned his wounds and rewrapped new bandages. Komaeda did as he was told. He stared at Hinata while he worked. 

“...Do you need something?” Hinata asked, pausing his task to meet the gaze of the boy he was bandaging. 

The lights in the kitchen were off, the only light being from the window, where the fluorescent street lamps illuminated the road, but Hinata could see the faintest blush on Komaeda’s face. 

“Hinata-kun is so handsome,” he noted softly, eyes shifting to look anywhere but the boy in front of him. Hinata felt his face heat up. He stood, his own eyes fixated on Komaeda. 

“Well,” he spoke slowly, gaze shifting from Komaeda’s face to his lips. ‘This is wrong,’ he thought, leaning in slightly. If there were alarms in his head, they would be sounding louder than a fire truck or ambulance. ‘This is all wrong, Hajime, you aren’t…’ 

“Komaeda is pretty, too,” he whispered, leaning further. He paused, so close to Komaeda that he could feel his breath on his face, staring into his eyes to make sure he was okay. 

“Hinata-kun,” he breathed, eyes fixated on Hinata’s lips. 

And that was all Hinata needed. 

Alarms ringing wildly, thoughts running wild, Hinata kissed Komaeda. It was short, inexperienced, and nothing to write home about, but it’s the thought that counts. 

He moved away almost as soon as he kissed him, looking for a reaction. Komaeda’s eyes had closed. When he opened them, they were wide and full of wonder. 

Hinata felt weird. The kiss was nice, and he wouldn’t mind doing it again, but before this he hadn’t ever felt this, let alone for a guy. Maybe it was because Komaeda was so pretty. He could easily resemble a woman, he looked so androgynous, but Hinata knew he was a boy. 

“Hinata-kun, are you ready for bed? I’m kind of tired,” he slid off the counter, bumping into Hinata since He didn’t move out of the way. He subconsciously moved his arms to catch Komaeda. 

“Uh-huh,” Hinata responded, ever so eloquently. He said nothing when Komaeda took his hand and walked with him back to Hinata’s room. 

“I think I have some clothes you can sleep in,” he said, absentmindedly digging through his drawers. He pulled out two pairs of basketball shorts and retrieved shirts from his closet, tossing the clothing for Komaeda at him. Once again, Komaeda stripped in front of Hinata, removing the sweater first. 

“Dammit, Komaeda!” he hissed, turning away. Komaeda froze, his hands already moving to remove his pants. “Change in the bathroom, not in front of me, Jesus,” 

“Am I not allowed to change in front of you now? I thought the thing you did meant I could do that,” he sighed, sounding almost disappointed. Hinata huffed, turning around to find that Komaeda still stood there with his shirt off, crossing his arms. Hinata had a horrible idea. 

“Well, here,” he grumbled, pulling his own shirt off. “Now we’re even, get in bed,” 

Komaeda stared a bit too long for Hinata’s taste. He crossed his arms over his chest self consciously, watching Komaeda slowly walk to the bed and crawl in. Hinata walked over and flopped in next to him, almost violently. He waited for Komaeda to get comfortable, noting that he moved as close to Hinata as he possibly could, then pulled the comforter over the two of them. Closing his eyes, he waited for the imminent exhaustion to shut his body down, but jumped when cold fingers ghosted over his arm. 

“Cold!” he yelped, squirming under the touch. Komaeda pulled away so fast it looked like the touch had burnt him. Which, Hinata thought, wasn’t surprising, considering how cold his fingers were. 

“I’m sorry Hinata-kun,” he said quickly. “I just thought… I wanted… I shouldn’t have done that, I-” 

“Komaeda,” Hinata said firmly, effectively shutting him up. “You didn’t do anything wrong, your hands are just really cold. So, come here,” He placed his hand on the spot next to him. Komaeda hesitantly moved back over, laying back down. Hinata sighed and did the same. This time, he moved first. He wrapped one arm around Komaeda and pulled him close, trying desperately not to think about how he was shirtless, and held him. Komaeda was quiet for a while; Hinata thought he was asleep. 

Not a moment after that thought, Komaeda broke the silence. 

“Hinata-kun is really warm,” he offered. It would be a lot less awkward if his face wasn’t buried in Hinata’s chest. 

“Shut up, Komaeda, go to bed,” he mumbled, tightening his grip. Komaeda hummed, seeming to oblige. After a while, he felt the soft, even rising and falling of Komaeda’s chest. He smiled softly, dozing off as well.


	5. Couple Confusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And then, Hinata was falling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BYE i wrote this instead of doing my school work today so i don't know what we did in geometry 🤪

Hinata woke up, first noticing the distinct lack of Komaeda next to him. He frowned and sat up fast, looking around the room. The clothes that the other wore to sleep in were folded neatly on a chair. He slid out of bed, changed, attended to morning rituals, and walked downstairs. Komaeda was sitting on the couch reading a book and petting Kirigiri, who was laying in his lap. He didn’t seem to notice Hinata, even though his footsteps were loud and ungraceful. He carefully approached the pale teen, looking over his shoulder. Instead of reading the words on the page, Hinata admired Komaeda. His facial expression was calm; His features relaxed, grey eyes scanning the pages, sometimes going back to reread a line. He moved to turn a page, momentarily glancing at Hinata. He went back to reading immediately after, then snapped his attention to Hinata. 

“Morning,” Hinata offered intelligently. Komaeda smiled slightly, leaning in. Hinata leaned back, confused. “What are you doing?” 

Komaeda stopped, equally confused. “Is this not what couples do in the morning?” He responded. Hinata choked. 

“Couples? We aren’t dating!” He stood up and crossed his arms, embarrassment clear on his face. Komaeda frowned. 

“But you kissed me. And we slept together-” 

“Let’s not word it like that,” Hinata cut in, cheeks flooding with red. 

“...We shared a bed. You were cuddling with me, Hinata-kun,” he chided, setting the book down to cross his arms. Hinata furrowed his brows and frowned. 

“Well yeah, but people can do that platonically,” he refuted, knowing he was going to lose this argument. The boy on the couch deadpanned. 

“People can platonically kiss?” It came out less of a question and more of a ‘you’re kidding,’ type of phrase.

“Yes!” he hissed. “This conversation is over, what do you want for breakfast?” Hinata grumbled, turning into the kitchen. 

“I’m not hungry,” Komaeda responded, crossing his legs. Hinata shot him a look. 

“Are you really not hungry or are you throwing a fit?” 

“I’m hurt that you would think I’m that petty, Hinata-kun, but I’m really not hungry. I don’t eat in the morning,” he stood, stretching lightly, and walked to meet Hinata in the kitchen. 

“Well,” Hinata eyed Komaeda’s frame. It wasn’t visible since the sweater he wore was big, but the way it hung off his body was enough to let Hinata know how malnourished he probably was. 

“You need to eat. It looks like you’re a skeleton wearing someone else’s skin,” 

Komaeda’s eyes lit up. “Like a skinwalker!” He said, smiling too much to be saying that. 

“Don’t,” Hinata warned, pointing at him with the spatula he had grabbed. 

Komaeda sat on the counter behind Hinata, watching him with intrigue. 

“What is Hinata-kun cooking?” he questioned, eyes following Hinata’s form as he moved around the kitchen. 

“Eggs, rice, and toast,” 

Komaeda nodded, but didn’t say another word until Hinata had finished cooking. He watched him cook, put everything together, then clean up. Hinata turned around and handed Komaeda a little blue box with chopsticks and moved to sit at the table. Hinata sat across from him. 

“Itadakimasu,” Komaeda said quietly. Hinata stared at him while he picked up his chopsticks, gathering some rice and egg and placing it in his mouth. His eyes lit up.   
“This is very good, Hinata-kun, thank you,” 

The boy across from him smiled slightly. The two ate in silence, and when they were finished Hinata picked everything up and did dishes. Then he walked to the couch and sat down, turning on the television. Komaeda joined him. 

“Are you looking to watch a movie, Hinata-kun?” He asked, sitting down next to him. Hinata nodded, skimming channels. 

“How about a horror movie?” Hinata shot a glance at Komaeda. He shrugged. Nodding, he clicked on the movie and laid against the armrest. He felt dangerously close to falling asleep again despite waking up only a half hour ago. Komaeda stretched, then looked at Hinata.

“Would Hinata-kun mind if I lay with him?” he asked, tilting his head. Hinata gave him a look. 

“Go ahead,” he nodded, moving his arms to make room for Komaeda next to him. But no, of course Komaeda didn’t lay next to him. Instead, the strange young man lay directly on Hinata, folding his arms over his chest and resting his head on them. 

“Komaeda, I meant beside me, not on me,” he grumbled, awkwardly laying with his arms over the armrest. Komaeda adjusted his head so he was looking at Hinata. 

“If I lay next to you I’ll fall off the couch. Do you want me to fall off, Hinata-kun?” 

Hinata frowned. “Why do you say my name so much?” 

“Hm,” Komaeda hummed. He turned his head toward the tv once again. “I say Hinata-kun’s name because I like it.” 

The boy being used as a pillow grunted while he adjusted his position, lifting Komaeda and sliding down a bit, then rested his hands on Komaeda’s back. He made it about twenty minutes through the movie before nodding off. 

He woke with a start, sitting up. Only, he wasn’t on his couch, and Komaeda was nowhere in sight. He looked around, chest heaving as if he’d just ran a marathon. The floors, walls, and every door down the hallway he woke up in was stark white, and the fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. In all different directions, he could hear indistinct chatter. Standing, using one of the walls for support, he glanced around. Each door had a name inscribed on it, and a piece of paper entailing their information. He looked at the door in front of him. 

‘Patient Number: 921-156, Ouma Kokichi, 14, Anorexia, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia.’ 

Hinata felt bad for snooping on this kid. He walked along the wall, reading the names on the doors. 

Yonaga Angie, Shinguuji Korekiyo, Shirogane Tsumugi, Saihara Shuichi.

Hinata stopped when he reached the end of the hall. The door in front of him read,

‘Komaeda Nagito’ 

He glanced around hesitantly, then looked at the paper next to the door. 

‘Patient Number: 428-180, Komaeda Nagito, 16, Anxiety, Autism, Depression, Suicidal Tendencies.’

There was more information on the paper, but Hinata felt bad enough. He stared at the doorknob while dread pooled in his stomach. A shaky hand lifted, ghosting just in front of the handle. He exhaled, grasping and turning the knob. It was unlocked. 

Peeking in, a lanky boy sat on his bed, head hanging, hands folded in his lap. There were books on the desk beneath the window. Papers were scattered along the floor. Hinata entered the room, shutting the door behind him when he heard voices nearing. Komaeda didn’t move. 

On the floor, nearly covered by paper, laid a small ring. It was simple, a plain silver band, but there was a four leaf clover inscribed on it. He picked it up, his gaze shifting from the trinket to the boy. He slowly approached him. 

“Hey… Is this yours?” 

The question was stupid. Of course it was his. He looked up, and Hinata flinched back. 

His eyes were dark, dull and swirling with an emotion Hinata could not identify, and his nose was bleeding. There were bandages on his heck, arms, and legs, and he had stitches running over a spot on his forehead. 

He seemed to realize that Hinata was not a doctor. 

“Huh? Who are you?” 

Hinata shivered a little. His voice was low and gravelly, as if he hadn’t spoken in recent days. 

“I’m Hinata? You know me,” he said, but his tone was unsure. Komaeda tilted his head. 

“Huh? Huh, huh, huh, huh, huh…” he trailed off, eyes rolling back and slumping forward. Hinata hurried to catch him, just barely preventing him from hitting the ground. 

“Komaeda? Hey, wake up,” he hissed, shaking him slightly. He sighed when the boy didn’t wake. Carefully, Hinata slid an arm under his knees and back, lifting him. He carried him, quite easily might I add, to the bed, sliding him in and covering him up. The blanket was thin, and it was cold. With a grumble, Hinata slid off his hoodie and laid it over the unconscious boy, then turned around. 

Most of the papers covering the room were blank, but a few had writing. The penmanship was subpar, at best, but Hinata didn’t really care. He picked one up, placing the small clover ring on the desk as he took a seat. 

‘November 22,  
I will not take the medication. I do not want to be alive any more. I know you read these, so why can’t you understand? I am tired. Let me go. I’m useless. Surely you’ve heard? It’s only a matter of time now, just let go. Let go. Let go. Let go. Let go.’

Hinata stared at the note, a blank expression on his face. Questions flooded his mind. Who was reading these? Why did Komaeda want to die so badly? When he heard boots click down the hall, he froze. If Komaeda could see him, so could anyone who worked here. He shot a glance at the still unconscious form of the boy on the bed, then at the mess on the ground. He gathered the papers into a neat stack and placed them on the table, grabbing a blank piece and a pen. He scribbled out his message, folded it, then opened a book and placed it inside. On another piece of paper, he wrote down the page number and name of the book. He waited for the steps to fade, then walked toward the door. He hesitated, then turned and grabbed the ring. He leaned over Komaeda and kissed his forehead, embarrassed by his own actions, and then left. 

Back in the hall, he walked the opposite way, following the sound of voices. Hinata edged close to a door that was open, intending to sneak by until he heard his own name. 

“Hinata Hajime? What’s so special about him, he looks pretty average to me… Normal grades, normal medical records…” 

A male voice spoke. It sounded almost like Komaeda, but a bit higher pitched and less gravelly. 

“Yeah, normal medical records until you check these out. He can see things. Plus, he’s the one that Matsuda was interested in, look here,” 

A female voice. She sounded very serious. 

“Well, it doesn’t matter what Matsuda is or isn’t interested in. What matters is that this kid can do things we’ve never seen before, and we need to pick apart his brain to find out how.”

Hinata froze when she spoke. He knew this voice. This was Enoshima’s voice. 

“What’s this about Kamukura Izuru? Is that his brother?” 

He felt sick. The room started spinning and his vision clouded. He couldn’t breathe. Too much was happening at once. Stumbling, he tried to use the wall to regain balance, but his hand hit nothing. 

And then Hinata was falling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you guess who started talking first when Hinata was eavesdropping


	6. Warm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He hadn't realized Komaeda was crying until the poor boy started shaking and sniffling.

“...n...ta-kun… Hinata-kun?” 

The boy in question sat up fast, accidentally slamming his head into whoever was sitting on him. He groaned and rubbed his head, muttering an apology. Anxiety coursed through his veins. 

Komaeda sat on Hinata’s legs, looking rather dazed. He placed a hand on his forehead where Hinata had hit him, but kept staring. 

“Is Hinata-kun okay? You were shaking…” 

Hinata frowned. “Yeah, I’m fine, sorry. Just a nightmare,” 

“No horror movies before bed for Hinata-kun,” Komaeda crossed his arms and pouted, which almost made Hinata crack a smile. Almost. 

“Uh-huh,” he yawned, stretching his stiff muscles. “Oh yeah, sorry for… headbutting you, Komaeda,” 

“No need to apologize to someone like me! It’s my fault for being in your way,” he hummed, smiling kindly. Hinata grunted something akin to ‘whatever,’ and laid back down. Komaeda immediately laid down on him again, crossing his arms over Hinata’s chest and resting his head on them. 

“...Hinata-kun, do you plan on sleeping all day?” 

“I mean… yeah, pretty much. Do you wanna do something today?” Hinata rested his arms on Komaeda’s back. 

“Well, I think it would be nice, yes,” he hummed. Hinata sighed.

“Alright, we can go to the library, the park, there’s a cafe a few blocks away…” 

Komaeda’s eyes lit up. “Can we go to the library?” 

“Yeah sure. Let’s get you some clothes, and we both need to take a shower too.” Hinata patted Komaeda’s back to let him know to get up, which he did, and slid off the couch. The two walked up to Hinata’s room. 

“We can stop by the thrift shop before we head out since you need clothing that fits, so for now just grab whatever looks good to you. I’m gonna take a shower real fast, so when you’re done you can just sit down or something.” 

Komaeda nodded, looking in Hinata’s drawer and closet for clothes. Hinata walked into the bathroom and took a quick shower. 

“Damn,” he mumbled, realizing he forgot to grab clothes. He wrapped the towel around his waist and opened the bathroom door. Komaeda turned around. 

“Hinata-kun takes fast- uh,” His sentence was cut short when he actually looked at Hinata, who was wearing a towel. 

“Not a word,” he warned. “I need to grab some clothes, I forgot.” He walked over to his closet, grabbing a simple t-shirt and pair of jeans. He walked back to the bathroom and changed quickly, reentering the bedroom after. Komaeda had already picked out his clothes and had them folded on the bed beside him. 

“Alright,” Hinata pointed. “Your turn, go shower.” 

Komaeda stared at Hinata blankly for a moment, which caused the tan male to furrow his brow. 

“What’s wrong?” Hinata ruffled his hair with the towel, drying it. Komaeda glanced to the side. “I don’t… know how…” He mumbled quietly. Hinata stared at him. 

“Are you telling me you need help talking a shower?” 

“A bath would work too,” he replied weakly.

“Oh my god.” Hinata covered his face with his hands, but Komaeda could still see the red tint on his ears. He shifted uncomfortably. 

“I’m sure I could figure it out easily, Hinata-kun, all you’d have to do is show me what to do.” He offered, trying to be less of a burden. Hinata took a deep breath and counted to three. 

“It’s fine. I’ll go run a bath and help you wash your hair, then you can do whatever else you need to do,” He stood and walked over to the bathroom once again, turning on the water, warm but not hot, and waited for it to fill. Komaeda walked in, and Hinata instructed him to undress and get in, and when he did that Hinata would come back in and help. 

Komaeda did as he was told while Hinata waited on the other side of the door. 

“Alright,” he called, his face heating up out of shame. Hinata walked in. 

“Here, lean your head back,” he instructed, placing his hand on the top of Komaeda’s head. He did what Hinata asked, jumping slightly when Hinata dipped a cup into the water and poured it into Komaeda’s hair. He repeated this process until Komaeda’s hair was wet, then poured shampoo in his hand, working it gently into Komaeda’s mop of white hair. 

The boy in the bath hummed, relaxing under Hinata’s hands. Once the shampoo was lathered in, Hinata poured more water, running his hands through Komaeda’s hair to make sure he got everything out. He repeated the whole process with the conditioner, then stood and handed Komaeda the body wash. He stepped out and waited for Komaeda to tell him he had finished.

“Here, get dressed,” he handed him a towel and his clothes. Komaeda dressed in silence, then walked out, his hair still wet and dripping water. Hinata picked up the towel he had used to dry his hair. 

“Sit down so I can dry your hair and such.” Hinata led him to the bed, having him sit down while he placed the towel over his head, ruffling it softly to get the majority of the water off. He hadn’t realized Komaeda was crying until the poor boy started shaking and sniffling. 

“Uh… Why are you crying? Did I hurt you?” Hinata removed the towel and moved to look at Komaeda’s face. 

“This is s-so nice,” he hiccupped, bringing pale hands up to wipe his tears. “It reminds me of what my mother used to do. I’m s-sorry for crying, H-Hinata-kun.”  
Hinata brought his own hands up to dry the boy’s face. 

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” 

He stood, taking Komaeda’s hand.

“Let’s go get you some clothes that actually fit.”


	7. Biking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “A kind nurse at the Future Institution said that kissing an injury will make it feel better!”

Hinata mounted his bike, only realizing now that he needed to put Komaeda somewhere.

“Uh, would you rather sit on the handlebars? Or we can both walk, the thrift store isn’t far,”

Komaeda stared at the bike with stars in his eyes. “I can ride on the handles?” he asked quietly. Hinata rubbed the back of his neck. 

“You can, but I’m sure it’s uncomfortable,” 

Hinata was shut up when the other boy placed a hand on the bars. 

“I want to ride here,” 

“...Alright, Let’s get going then.”

The ride to the thrift store was calming. Komaeda just enjoyed the ride, looking around at the trees and cars that sped by. When they arrived, he hopped off and ran a hand through his hair. Hinata held out his hand expectantly, which Komaeda took gladly, and the two walked hand in hand into the store. 

“Is that Hinata-kun I see?” A young woman called from somewhere in the back. Komaeda looked around to find her, eyes landing on a tan young woman with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. 

“It is! Hinata-kun and…” Her eyes landed on their interlocked hands and she practically exploded.

“Omigosh, omigosh! Hinata-kun has a boyfriend, I knew it! Saku- Sakura! Come here, look, Hinata-kun has a boyfriend!” She called, jumping around and clapping her hands. Komaeda felt Hinata’s body go rigid under his hand. He hesitantly attempted to let go, but Hinata squeezed his hand. 

A taller, muscular woman entered.“Aoi, you needed me? Good morning, Hinata-san and-”

“That’s Hinata’s boyfriend! Hinata-kun, please introduce us to your friend,” she smiled and folded her hands together, leaning on the taller woman who walked in.  
“This is Komaeda, say hello Komaeda,” Hinata swung his hand gently. Komaeda couldn’t help but feel satisfied that Hinata hadn’t dismissed the thought of the two being… boyfriends…

“I am Komaeda Nagito, nice to meet you,” he bowed his head, jumping when he felt warm arms wrap around him. 

“Ohh, you two are so cute! Are you here to get matching outfits!?” She nearly lifted Komaeda off the ground entirely, but the tall woman placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Hello Komaeda, I am Oogami Sakura. This is Hina. It is nice to meet you as well,” her deep voice was soothing. Komaeda slid from Hina’s grip, returning to Hinata’s side. 

“Komaeda needs clothes so I came to pick some up.” He informed, tugging Komaeda along to look at things. The two browsed for a while until Komaeda had seven pairs of clothing and three pairs of shoes. Hinata pulled Komaeda to the counter, which was being waited for by a girl around their age. She had blonde hair. 

“Hello, find everything okay?” She smiled softly, ringing up the clothing. Hinata nodded. 

“You’re in the eleventh grade, right? I’m pretty sure I bumped into you in the hallway a while back,” she glanced up from the register. 

Hinata stared at her blankly before realizing she was right. “Oh, uh, yeah,” He responded intelligently.

“Hinata, was it? And Komaeda,” she bowed her head to the pale boy behind Hinata, who returned the gesture happily. 

“Yeah, I don’t think I ever caught your name, sorry,” 

“It’s alright. Akamatsu Kaede, and your total is fifteen twenty-seven.”

Hinata handed his due amount. “Right, Akamatsu. Thank you,” 

“Any time! And hey, Hinata-san,” 

He turned, already trying to leave. 

“You and Komaeda are very cute together.” she smiled kindly and waved them goodbye. Hinata blushed and opened the door for Komaeda. 

“Hinata-kun is so chivalrous,” he teased, approaching the bike. Hinata grumbled something good-naturedly, handing the other boy the clothing. 

The two rode back to Hinata’s house so Komaeda could get changed and Hinata could pack some food (he had planned a picnic for later). Komaeda walked downstairs wearing a button up under a sweater with cuffed jeans and hightops. 

“Hinata-kun is staring,” he hummed. 

“Yeah, at your shoes. They’re untied Komaeda, come here.” He motioned for Komaeda to sit on the counter, which is where he spent quite a bit of time in the past few days. 

“I never learned how, sorry.” 

Hinata kneeled, tying the laces tight. “Don’t apologize, you’re fine. I don’t mind helping out.” 

Once he had finished both shoes, he smiled, clearly satisfied. “Th-” 

But Hinata didn’t get to finish. He was cut off by Komaeda swinging his leg up to look at Hinata’s handiwork, unfortunately kicking him in the face. 

“Ow, Jesus!” he hissed, bringing a hand to cover his face. 

“Oh- Hinata-kun! I’m- I’m so sorry, let me-”

“No, no, just…” He stood, using the counter to brace himself. “It’s fine, my lip is just bleeding. Here, see?” He moved his hand, revealing his now busted lip. Komaeda deflated. 

“Hinata-kun, I… I ruin everything, sorry,” He frowned momentarily, then brightened up. “Oh, I know!” 

Hinata probably flinched as Komaeda placed his hands on his face and leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. Hinata moved away quickly, still pretending he was a straight man. 

“What the hell?!” 

His voice cracked in the middle, giving away the fact that he was a bit upset with himself for moving away. 

“A kind nurse at the Future Institution said that kissing an injury will make it feel better!” he said, excitement clear in his voice. “Does your lip feel better, Hinata-kun?”  
The look on Komaeda’s features was too cute to destroy, Hinata concluded, sighing. 

“...Yes, thank you Komaeda.”

He smiled softly, taking Hinata’s hand and hopping off the counter.

“Let’s go to the library then.”

***

“Oh, Hinata-kun should read me a story,” Komaeda suggested happily. 

The two had arrived quickly, but Hinata almost delayed their trip due to some kid catcalling Komaeda. He insisted that the two just left but Hinata was ready for bloodshed. He made some threats that he may or may not intend to uphold. 

“You can’t tie your shoes or read?” he teased. 

“Nope.”

Hinata stared blankly, not able to identify if the pale boy was joking. He quietly opened the book Komaeda had picked, reading the first line aloud. 

“Coraline discovered the door a little while after they moved into the house.” 

Komaeda had a smug smile, clearly happy with winning. He leaned on Hinata’s shoulder, following the words as his partner’s (could he call the other boy his partner?) voice read them. He made it to the fourth chapter before dozing off. 

Hinata had grown rather bored after twenty pages of Coraline. But he kept reading, because he knew that sooner or later, Komaeda would fall asleep.

And he did. 

Unfortunately, Hinata was now invested in the story and continued to read aloud, even as Komaeda slept on his shoulder. He could feel the boy’s warm breath fan over his neck. He hesitantly wrapped an arm around Komaeda’s thin frame.  
“Are you gay now, Hinata? I mean, it’s no surprise, but…”

A high pitched mocking tone made Hinata jump so violently that Komaeda woke up.  
“Saionji,” he greeted, spitting the name out like it was the worst thing he’d had to say.  
“Hnn, Hinata-kun my name is Komaeda,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. His voice was deeper since he was tired. 

“Oh nice to meet you, Komaeda! A disgustingly lame name for a disgusting boy like yourself!” she smiled mischievously, covering her mouth with a sleeve. “I didn’t think that whore Hinata would get desperate enough to date a guy, but I guess you kinda look like a girl… If you squint,”

Komaeda frowned. “Hinata-kun isn’t a whore,” 

“Komaeda, just- Saionji, go find Koizumi, I’m sure she never intended for you to escape your leash. Come on,” he tugged Komaeda’s wrist as he stood, walking past the pigtailed girl. She sneered a few more hateful words before losing interest and looking for other people to tease. The two checked out their book and left. 

“Sorry we had to leave so soon,” Hinata offered awkwardly. Komaeda smiled. 

“No need to apologize Hinata-kun! I had a good time.”

“Well, are you hungry? I actually packed some lunch for us, but it’s more of a dinner now I guess,” Hinata eyed the setting sun. Komaeda’s eyes lit up. 

“Oh! I am hungry, thank you. Where will we eat?”

“I have a place in mind, follow me.”

Komaeda did as he was told. He always did, Hinata observed. The two walked for a while, Hinata walking with his bike and Komaeda carrying the basket.

“Alright, we’re here.” Hinata set his bike against a tree, motioning for Komaeda to join him. They laid the blanket out, which Hinata used to protect the food, then set up the food. The sun had set a bit ago, leaving the two boys under the night sky. Hinata offered the thermos of tea to Komaeda. 

“Why did you pick this spot, Hinata-kun?” He questioned, plucking a strawberry from the container. Hinata did the same. 

“Look at the sky.” He instructed. 

Komaeda looked up, his expression morphing from confusion to silent adoration. 

“Oh Hinata-kun… It’s lovely…” 

Hinata stole a glance at the boy beside him. The way the moonlight reflected off his pale skin and eyes was ethereal; Beautiful. 

Feeling bold (or perhaps he had lost all sense of shame in the cool air), he bit into the strawberry and spoke. 

“It is. It’s actually the second prettiest thing here, though,” 

Komaeda, with a little reluctance, tore his gaze from the stars, placing it on Hinata instead. “How do you mean?” 

Hinata met his eyes. “Well… How could anything be prettier than you..?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i live for Komaeda's use of silly information.


	8. Watchful Eyes

Komaeda’s eyes widened. “Me..?” 

It almost hurt Hinata that the other boy sounded so surprised. “Yeah, who else?” he chuckled softly, finishing his strawberry and pulling another one out. He held it to Komaeda’s mouth, refusing to make eye contact. Komaeda’s focus shifted to the strawberry. 

“I don’t think-”

“Just eat the strawberry.” Hinata cut him off before he could get anymore self deprecating words out. Komaeda did as he was told and bit into the fruit. “Pretty,” he said softly, nearly silently. 

A particularly strong gust of wind passed through the field they were sitting in. Hinata moved closer and wrapped an arm around Komaeda, who was shivering.   
“It’s getting late, Hinata-kun. We should go back home,” He leaned into the touch. Hinata hummed. 

“I know. Here,” he slid off his jacket, placing it around Komaeda, and began picking up the picnic. Komaeda helped when he could, neatly folding the blanket. He tried to place it back in the basket, but Hinata stopped him.

“No, look,” he placed the basket on the ground, taking the blanket and unfolding it. Shaking it down to get everything off, he handed it to Komaeda. “Another layer, since you still look pretty cold.” 

Komaeda smiled and held the blanket close. He looked up to meet Hinata’s gaze, but his eyes focused on something behind him. 

A few feet away, someone was crouched in the field. Waiting. Komaeda froze, a reaction that didn’t go unnoticed by Hinata. 

“What is it-”

“No,” he whispered, grabbing Hinata’s hand. “Don’t look.” 

Hinata hesitantly stopped turning, instead looking at Komaeda. “What’s over there,” he spoke barely above a whisper. 

“I’m not sure who it is, but someone is crouching near the edge of the woods.” 

Hinata had never seen such a raw fear in someone’s eyes before. Komaeda was shaking, but he knew it wasn’t because of the cold weather. 

“Okay, come here,” Hinata moved back, then bent down a bit. He looked over his shoulder at Komaeda. “Get on my back, I’m carrying you.” 

“Hinata-kun shouldn’t carry me all that way! He’ll get hurt,” Komaeda chided. 

“Then I’ll carry you like this,” He stood and practically swept Komaeda off his feet, holding him bridal style. 

“But- your bike, Hinata-kun-” 

“It’s fine. I don’t care, we have to go now.” he shifted his grip on the skeletal boy, holding him close and walking off. “I need you to keep watch, okay?” Hinata murmured, walking toward the road. “My house is still pretty close.” 

“Hinata-kun, it would be much easier if we took your bike. Someone can follow us like this,” 

Hinata stopped walking, eyes shifting to his bike. It was close enough. He huffed and put the boy in his arms down, instead opting to grab his hand and urgently pull him toward the resting bike. He mounted it, allowed Komaeda to climb up on the handlebars, and took off. 

He only really panicked when he heard footsteps. Running footsteps, crunching on the fallen leaves and running fast enough to nearly touch Hinata. He sped up, turning his bike sharply into the street and speeding off. The pursuer continued. 

Hinata took a turn on a backroad, then turned off on Nanami’s street. He only stopped his bike when the sound of being followed ceased. He was breathing so hard that he was practically wheezing. Komaeda slid off the handlebars and wrapped his arms around Hinata, who weakly hugged back.

“Are we staying with Nanami-san tonight?” the pale boy spoke into Hinata’s shoulder. 

“Yeah,” he nodded, not ready to let go just yet. He moved anyway, making sure to keep him close as he knocked on the door. It was answered by Fujisaki-san. 

“Hello boys, what are you doing out so late?” His gaze flicked from Komaeda to Hinata, taking note of their misty eyes. 

“Can we stay here tonight?” Hinata asked quietly. His voice cracked anyway. 

“Of course, come in.” He moved aside to allow both boys to come in. 

“So what happened? You two look pretty shaken up,” Fujisaki walked over and placed tea and a blanket in front of Hinata and Komaeda, who accepted it gratefully.

“We were in the field by the library just… hangin out, I guess, and Komaeda saw someone near the woods. Just sitting there .” 

“And you left as soon as he pointed it out right?”

“Yes sir,”

Fujisaki relaxed a little. “Good. What happened next?”

Hinata and Komaeda exchanged glances. 

“We packed everything up and left. I got on my bike and rode as fast as I could but who- uh, whatever it was managed to keep up almost right behind us. I circled around and made turns whenever possible to throw it off and didn’t stop until the thing stopped following.” Hinata recounted. It was clear the two were more than stressed. Fujisaki stood.

“Well, you did good Hinata. You’re a quick thinker. I’ll prepare the guest room, but there’s only one bed. I’m sure we can find some clothes for the two of you to sleep in,”   
“...I can just run to my house and pick some stuff up, Fujisaki-san.” Hinata stood as well. “It won’t take long and I can ride faster, uh, without someone on the handles.”

“Absolutely not. And even if I did let you go, I would drive you and take Mondo for extra protection.” Fujisaki turned to the boys. “You two will stay here until we can make sure it’s safe, okay?”

“Yes sir,” Komaeda and Hinata responded in unison.

The room was prepared quickly, and the two took showers and changed, simply wearing borrowed clothes while they’re clothes were washed. When Nanami’s dad left the room, after wishing them good night of course, Komaeda faced his… friend? Partner? (He wasn’t sure what Hinata was to him.)

“Hinata-kun,” he spoke in an urgent whisper. “Hinata-kun something's wrong,” 

And Hinata felt it too. Something was off. His gaze picked apart the room, now shrouded in darkness save for the moonlight filtering in from the curtains.

Hinata turned analytical eyes to the window across the room. 

Through the thin lace curtains, he could make out a faint silhouette.


	9. Night Terrors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He stopped, dizzy and sick, when he saw a familiar hairclip on the ground in front of him. A too familiar hairclip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so sorry for the delay!!!!

It was a long night. Hinata had gotten up and opened the curtains swifty, prepared to confront whoever thought it was funny to scare them, but nothing was there. He played it off as the light playing tricks on their eyes, and fell asleep holding Komaeda in his arms. 

And he woke up somewhere else. 

It was cold on the ground where he lay. He felt more fatigued than he had in his whole life. Despite the obvious need to go back to sleep, he ripped himself from the ground, rubbing his eyes. 

He was standing next to the gate of the Future Institution. 

“It’s cold out today,” a familiar voice lamented. Hinata turned his head, eyes landing on Komaeda. He wore a white sweater and white pants. He opened his mouth to respond, but he was cut off. 

“It is, isn’t it?”

A female voice. Enoshima Junko’s voice. Hinata walked over to the gate, grabbing it. His actions startled Komaeda, who pointed directly at him. 

“Who is that?” He asked. Enoshima hummed, looking up. 

“Komaeda, there’s nobody there,” she made direct eye contact with Hinata as she spoke. Hinata shivered, gaze flicking back to Komaeda. 

“You can see me right? Komaeda?” 

The boy stared for a while, then turned to Enoshima. “Can you go get Naegi-kun? I’m tired of you,” he said, absentmindedly. Enoshima looked disgusted, but agreed and walked off. Komaeda turned back to Hinata. 

“You’re the boy who was in my room a few days ago. Who are you?” 

Hinata shifted uncomfortably. “So you don’t remember me then?” 

Komaeda shook his head. 

“Well, I’m Hinata Hajime. We met in the woods.” 

“In the woods..? Oh! You must be from, ah, the other side, then. Hello,” he smiled politely. 

“The other side? What does that mean?” 

Komaeda’s expression darkened for a moment, but changed back almost too soon for Hinata to even notice. Almost. 

“So you don’t know? Strange for someone like you.” He still had his polite smile, but his voice was condescending; bordering judgmental. 

“Excuse me?” Hinata narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, ‘someone like me’?” 

Komaeda pointed to his head. “You’re different. Not like other people. I guess it would be surprising to me too if I was in your place. You’re horribly plain looking. It’s easy to mistake you for one of the normal ones.” 

Hinata was getting frustrated quicker than normal. His Komaeda wasn’t this much of a prick, he wondered what happened to this kid. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I think I’m done hearing you talk down to me. Bye, uh, other Komaeda.” he turned to leave, but Komaeda--the other Komaeda-- grabbed his wrist and yanked him back. Hinata slammed into the chain-link fence with a harsh rattle. 

“You better be careful, Hajime,” he breathed, way too close for Hinata’s comfort. “The more you visit, the easier they’ll find you! It would be a shame if someone as perfect, someone as utterly hopeful as you was killed off by some ignorant pawns, would it not?” he wheezed out a laugh that sounded like a lung had deflated. Hinata ripped himself away from the fence, cutting his arm in the process. He looked back at Komaeda, watching him continue to laugh while someone--Naegi-san, Hinata assumed-- apprehend Komaeda and sedate him. Naegi looked up, a fierce look in his green eyes. 

“You need to leave. Now.” He ordered. 

Hinata turned, running as fast as he could, nearly tripping more times than he cared to count. He ran until his legs gave out and he fell. He kept falling, realizing only now that there was no ground beneath him. He closed his eyes, begging to wake up, only opening them when he stopped falling. Now, he was on a hard stone floor. Blood was covering the ground in front of him. His first assumption being that it was from his arm, but there was way too much for it to be his. He struggled, stumbling to get up as he followed the trail. A feeling of dread weighed heavy in Hinata’s stomach. His mind was screaming at him. When had he started shaking? He stopped, dizzy and sick, when he saw a familiar hairclip on the ground in front of him. A too familiar hairclip. He picked it up, holding it carefully in his hand. 

He struggled to breathe, forcing himself forward, slowly, then a bit faster, continuing until he was running. Too much ran through his mind.  
And then he stopped. 

In front of him, shot multiple times and bleeding out, was Nanami. The room was spinning and his mind swam. He collapsed on his knees into the blood. Her blood. There were footsteps approaching rapidly behind him. Alarms rang in his ears at a deafening volume. His vision shook, blurring every few moments and unable to focus on anything. 

“Hinata-kun..?” an unsure voice cut clearly through the buzz of panic. Hinata looked up, his eyes meeting mossy grey ones. That’s Komaeda, he thought hazily.  
Sure enough, it was Komaeda. Covered in blood and wide eyed. Hinata was confused. Why was he bloody? Was he attacked? What happened? 

“Hinata-kun, wait,” he stepped back while Hinata stood. Behind him, someone yelled for him to drop his weapon. Something in his hand, where Nanami’s hairpin sat previously, was cold and heavy. 

Were they yelling at him? What had he done so wrong? 

He looked forward, met with a reflection of himself. He was a mess, covered in blood and scratches, his clothes tattered. He held a gun. 

A gun? When had that happened? The people behind him looked vaguely familiar, people he had met before but hadn’t been remembered. Someone shouted again, a warning. He couldn't hear anyone but Komaeda, who was calling his name. 

“Hinata-kun!” 

Hinata sat up so fast it nearly gave him whiplash. He was cold, shaking, and felt sick. Komaeda, who was holding his hand, looked worried. Hinata brought a hand up to rub his eyes, a bit upset when he realized he’d been crying. 

“Hinata-kun was shaking and crying… I didn’t know what to do.” Komaeda held Hinata’s hand tighter. Hinata nodded, pulling Komaeda in a hug. He cried again, quietly into the pale boy’s shoulder. Komaeda hesitantly wrapped his arms around Hinata, rubbing his back. Eventually, the two laid back down, Hinata resting his head on Komaeda, whose hand had found its way to Hinata’s hair to play with.  
“Ah… Did you want to tell me about it?” Komaeda asked gently, “The dream, I mean.” 

Hinata shifted, but stayed quiet. Komaeda continued. “I find it easier to deal with when I tell you about it, I figured it might help,” he hummed. 

“I was talking to you. At the Future Institution. Except you weren’t, y’know, you. You were… I dunno… you just acted differently. You were condescending, I guess. Smug.”

Komaeda went rigid under him. 

“And that girl was there, the one with pig-tails. Enoshima-san. She looked right at me and said nobody was there when you talked to me. You told her to leave, uh,”  
A gentle rub on the back from Komaeda signaled him to continue. 

“You asked for Naegi-san, and started talking to me. I don’t remember much of what you said, something about me being on the ‘other side’. You… He told me I was different, then backhandedly called me plain and boring. When I tried to leave he grabbed me and yanked me back, told me to be careful because I would die..? Then he started laughing… I took off running. I got this cut on my arm-” Hinata subconsciously rubbed his arm when he mentioned the cut, startled to feel a long scratch. He sat up fast, eyes blown wide and staring at it. 

Sure enough, in the exact same spot it had been in his dream, a large slice ran the length of Hinata’s forearm. He looked at Komaeda, whose expression was unnervingly blank. Empty. 

“This is bad,” being the only thing he cared to mutter.


End file.
